The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898; Volume 49: Explorations by early navigators, descriptions of the islands and their peoples, their history and records of the catholic missions, as related in contemporaneous books and manuscripts, showing the political, economic, commercial and religious conditions of those islands from their earliest relations with European nations to the close of the nineteenth century
History
The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898; Volume 49: Explorations by early navigators, descriptions of the islands and their peoples, their history and records of the catholic missions, as related in contemporaneous books and manuscripts, showing the political, economic, commercial and religious conditions of those islands from their earliest relations with European nations to the close of the nineteenth century
Demarcation line of Alexander VI; Missions -- Philippines; Philippines -- Discovery and exploration; Philippines -- History -- Sources
15. The English made their trenches in a short time and mounted their
artillery and began to bombard the city at the bastion of the foundry,
as their fire was insufficient to reach the bastion of Carranza,
[132] and the active efforts which were able to be made in order to
undo their labors and dislodge them [i.e., the British]. Of not a
little importance (amid the inequality of forces and of practiced
soldiers) was the form in a cordon of some people of this vicinity
who were considered most fitting, and of some of the natives of the
environs from the site of Pasay which is at the south near the powder
factory to that of San Lazaro, which lies to the east. The archbishop
took that precaution, as it was very necessary, in order to guard
the Pasig River at the point where the provisions are traded, and
to obtain some opposition against the enemy. The fire of the latter,
by means of their land and ship artillery, and their bombarding, in
which the bombs fired exceeded four thousand, and the number of balls
of twenty-four, a trifle more, threw the city and all its inhabitants
into great consternation. On that account, and because the breach [in
the walls] was begun to be opened, in a general council on the night
of the third of October, what ought to be done in such a conflict
was discussed. [133]
16. Although the military men thought that they ought to capitulate,
other reputable votes were against it. One of them, namely, the fiscal,
[134] asked the engineer and military men, if what they said was [to be
understood as] in the present, and if they were to proceed immediately
to the capitulation. Receiving the negative answer, he, following
the advice of others, counseled defense. In view of everything and
the rest which appears in said council, the archbishop gave the
orders, which appear in the records, in regard to the work, labor,
and the defensive works, with the provision of materials, workmen,
and foremen, giving charge of these operations to the engineers,
and having appointed the chiefest military men to the most important
posts, and having ordered their vigilance in regard to the operations
of the enemy. But nothing sufficed, for, redoubling their fire, on the
following day, and adding bombs, which they discharged with their fire,
which caught in two buildings, to which it was so necessary to hasten,
the day and its night passed in moments of confusion and agony. At
six in the morning of the fifth of the above-mentioned October of
62, [135] having gained possession of its breach and of the bastion
of the foundry, [136] the English extended their troops along both
sides of the wall, and another column through the royal gate which
they forced; so that there was nothing else for the archbishop to do
than to wave the white flag and retire to the fort of San Tiago with
the ministers, and some officials and citizens. Notwithstanding that
he knew nothing of militia, and had never seen such functions, and
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